Advertising apparatus



Dc. 29, 1936. y J. M, BAUML 2,065,959

ADVERT I S ING APFARATUS Fi1e d Feb. 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet @j ffm- BwwDec. 29, 1936. J, M, BAUML 2,065,959

ADVERTISING APPARATUS Filed F'eb. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-5h66?. 2

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o o o|o o O Tryo-FST "-5- y a o go 9 o m t u -z-f-.--zf--L-s es m O C O2mg 0 m o 0 O 0 0 O 0 I Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STES ADVERTISINGAPPARATUS `Iacques Marcel Bauml, Paris, France, assigner to ArmandZouckermann, Paris, France Application February 23, 1934, Serial No.712,645 In France February 28, 1933 2 Claims.

This invention relates to advertising apparatus constituted by a boardcomposed of juxtaposed elements the aspect of which can be modified (forinstance, rotating lamps, shutters or mirrors); these elements can beset in action successively in any required order, in such a manner thatthe spectator has the impression that an invisible hand Writes or drawson the board.

The invention has for its object to solve the technical problem whichconsists in automatically controlling the operation of these apparatusby means of perforated hands or the like.

The diculty of this problem resides in the vfact that at any moment anyof the elements must be capable of being actuated; it appears thereforenecessary that the perforated band should com-` prise as many series ofperforations as there are elements, and this, in practice, isimpossible. In fact, it is not possible to provide, for the control ofan advertising board of 10,000 lamps for instance, a band suii'cientlyWide to be transversely perforated with 10,000 holes in a straight line.

The invention is characterized by the fact that the board is dividedinto several equivalent zones, the selection of a zone being effected bya series of perforations, whilst the selection of the elements of eachzone is effected by another series of perforations.

In the above mentioned example of a board of 10,000 lamps, this boardcan for instance be divided into zones of 100 lamps. The perforated bandwill then have a Width reduced to that necessary for 200 perforations,instead of 10,000 perforations. It will therefore be 50 times less wide,and thus will be reduced to acceptable dimensions.

The accompanying drawings diagrammatically illustrate, by Way of exampleonly, a form of carrying the invention into. practice.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the entire apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a detail diagrammatic view.

The example of Fig. 1 shows a board composed of 81 elements distributedin nine zones each numbered from I to IX of nine elements each numbered,in each zone, from 1 to 9.

Each element constituted, for instance as shown in Fig. 2, comprises alamp III which is lighted upon closing the contact I I actuated by thearmature of the relay I2. Holding contacts I2@ and I2c are also actuatedby the relay I2 and a contact 23 actuated by a magnet 22 initiallyenergizes the relay I2. A contact I2b is interposed in the holdingcircuit of the relay I2 and is opened by an electromagnet 35.

The circuit of the relay is controlled by two series of perforations I3and I4 belonging either to two distinct bands driven in synchronism, orto one and the same band I5. The Wire I6 is multiplied at II on eachrelay homologous to I2 in each zone (that is to say on each relay havingthe same number). The band l5 moves on a contact table I8 connected toone of the poles I9 of the source of energy 20, the other pole 2| ofwhich is assumed to be grounded. The perforations such as I3 directlycontrol the Wire IS leading to one terminal of the coil of the relay I2,but the perforationssuch 'as I4, so-called zone perforations, controlthe wires 40 leading to one terminal of the coils of electromagnetsv 22.One electromagnet 22 is provided per zone, and the energization of saidelectromagnet closes all the contacts 23 connected to the relays I2 inthe zone under consideration. The opposite end of the relay coil I2 isconnected with the contact I2c which normally engages a conductor 4Ileading to the contact 23. The opposite end of the magnet coil 22 isgrounded at 2Ia. Thus, in the eX- ample illustrated, the circuit of theelectromagnet 22 of the zone II is energized, and all the contacts 23 ofthis zone are closed. 'Ihe perforation I3 closes, in this zone IVI, thecircuit of the element 5, that is to say the electromagnet I2 of thiselement is energized. Consequently, the band I5, through the medium oithe perforations I4, chooses a zone and, through the medium ofthe'perforations I3, it chooses an element in this zone. The operationis as follows: The electromagnet 22 is energized on the passage of aperforation I4 and actuates the contact 23. During the simultaneouspassage of a perforation I3, the relay I2 is energized by a circuitincluding the conductor Iii, relay coil, contact I2C, Vconductor 4i,closed contact 23 and ground 2Ia. Thus, the contact I I is operated,closing the circuit of the lamp I0 over the conductor 42 and the groundconnection 2 Ib. Simultaneously the holding contacts I2a and I2c areactuated, the contact I2c establishing a connection between the relay I2and the ground 2|b and the contact I2a closing the other side of thecircuit for the relay I2 over a conductor 43 connected with the pole I9of the current source. The normally closed contact I2b is interposed inthe conductor 43 and the relay I2 is maintained in energized conditionafter the passage of the perforations I3 and I4 until the holdingcircuit is interrupted by opening the contact I2b.

Then the band I5, continuing to move, will choose, by means of its twoseries of perforations :actuated by hand (Fig. 2).

I 3 and I4, respectively, another element and either another zone, orthe same zone, the operation taking place over again in this manner upto the end of the series of perforations.

It will be Seen that the band I5 has a Width corresponding to 18 holes,instead of necessitating a width corresponding to 8l holes.

The invention is not limited in any Way to the very diagrammatic examplewhich has `iust been described. The elements can be other than lampsand, for instance, rocking or rotating shutters, or mirrors. They can beactuated electrically, pneumatically, or in any suitable manner. Theperforated bands can be replaced by any equivalent members used in otherarts, such as pin drums or the like.

The apparatus can be devised in order to be In this case, the operatormoves a contact 24, in the sameway as a pencil, on a board 25 dividedinto zones, each zone comprising as many contacts 26 as there areelements in a zone of the advertising panel. The movable contact 2li ismounted at the end of one of the branches of a pantograph 21, the

i pivot 28 of which is connected to the pole I9 of the source of energy.The end of the other lbranch of the pantograph carries a Contact 30which moves on a board 3| divided into conducting zones insulated fromeach other, each Zone such as 32 being connected by a wire 33 to theWinding of the zone electromagnet 22 corresponding thereto. v

The operation is as follows:

For actuating the device by hand, the contact 34 is closed, then, bymeans or" the stylus 2d, the operator draws on the board 25. The stylus3S moves at the same time on the board 3 I. It will thus easily be seenthat the suitable zone electromagnet 22 is energized by means of thestylus 3B and that, in this zone, the electromagnet I2, of the elementcorresponding to the contact 26 which is engaged at this moment by thestylus 12d, is also energized. For causing the drawing to disappear, itsuffices to open the contact IZb (which may be done manually).l Thiscontact can, when the operation is automatic, be controlled by theperforated band I5. The latter would then be provided with a specialperforation allowing to energize the electroni-eignet 35 fected can thenbe greater, since a number'of switchings through the electromagnets 22is avoided.

yThe use of the contacts 23 could have been avoided by connecting allthe elements of one `capable of presenting distinct rest and Workingaspects, the elements of one and the same group being arranged onebeside the other according to several lines in order that this groupforms a square surface, an electromagnet for each element, meanscontrolled by said electromagnet, for

effecting the change of aspect, a Source of electric energy, circuitsfed by the said source of electric energy provided in a number equal tothe number of elements of a group, each of these circuits comprising inshunt the elemtromagnets of Vthe homologue elements of the variousgroups means for selectively, controlling said circuits` in anysequence, a Contact in each branch linearranged to be normally open, anelectromagnet inr each group for simultaneously closing and opening allthe contacts of this group, means for se-jn lectvely controlling thesaid electromagnets in rany sequence, means for holding in their workingposition the elements moved to this position by energization of theirelectromagnets` and means for subsequently restoring said elements tof;I

their position of rest.

2. An advertising apparatus comprising a plurality of similar groups ofdisplay lamps, the lamps of one and the same group being arranged v onebeside the other according y,to several lines in order that this groupforms asurface, a source of electric energy, separate circuits for thelamps, a lamp contact in each of the said circuits, a lamp electromagnetfor controlling each lamp contact, circuits provided ina number equalto"A l the number of lamps of a group, each of these circuits comprisingin shunt the lamp electromagnets of the homologuek lamp of` vthe Variousgroups, means for selectively controlling said circuits in any sequence,av contact in each branchY f line arranged to be normally open, anelectromagnet in each group for simultaneouslyk closing and opening allthe contacts of this group,

means for selectively controlling the said electromagnets in anysequence, means for holding the lamp electromagnets in their energizingposition,

and means for subsequently restoring said lamp electromagnets to theirposition of rest.

